In many industries, the measurement and control of liquids dispensed during mixing processes is imperative to the usability and profitability of the resulting liquid mixture. In the chemical industry, the accurate measurement of liquids in a mixing process is vital to the safety and merchantability of the resulting liquid mixture. Similarly, in the restaurant and bar industry, the quality and taste of a mixed beverage depends largely upon the accurate measurement of the liquids combined during the mixing process. In addition to maintaining the quality and uniformity of the mixed beverages, restaurant and bar managers are also concerned with maintaining the profitability of their businesses by preventing the unauthorized dispensing of liquids, such as, liquors, beer, carbonated beverages and juices, by staff.
In recent years, a variety of dispensers have been developed or suggested for dispensing liquids. These prior art dispensers have been met with varying degrees of success, but have generally been unable to accurately measure and monitor the volume of the liquids dispensed during mixing processes. These prior art dispensers are also problematic because they can be easily manipulated by individuals to enable the continued unauthorized dispensing of liquids. For example, Mogadam U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,055 is a liquid dispensing method and apparatus having a loose ferrous valve, which is preferably a ball, that is maintained in an open position by a permanent magnetic means and released into a closed position by an electronic means. The valve or ball is caused to drop and close by the momentary canceling of the magnetic field from the magnetic means by the electronic means. This design is problematic since it can be easily manipulated by positioning an external magnetic adjacent to the dispensing apparatus (such as in the hand of an individual dispensing liquid from a bottle) to counter the momentary canceling of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic means as a result of the activation the electronic means.
Similar ball valve-type dispenser apparatuses shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,278,186, 5,044,521, 5,505,349, 5,255,819, and 6,123,255 can also be manipulated in the aforementioned manner and, therefore, have met with varying degrees of success.
Prior art dispensers are also problematic because they are designed to dispense liquid in accordance with a time-based estimate of the volume of liquid flowing though the dispenser rather than by measuring the actual volume of liquid being dispensed. These prior art dispensers typically utilize a timer or timer circuit designed to activate and deactivate a valve over a pre-determined period of time. Williamson U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,186 discloses a wireless pour spout which incorporates a pour-control mechanism in the spout head. A ball bearing is held by an electromagnetic force for a period of time sufficiently long so that a predetermined amount of liquid can be poured through the spout. Once the pour period is completed, the electromagnetic member holding the ball bearing is de-energized and the ball bearing drops into the pour channel and stops the flow of the liquid. In addition to being susceptible to manipulation, these prior art dispensers are incapable of dispensing accurate and consistent volumes of liquids. Many factors, including the angle at which the bottle is held when dispensing the liquid and the temperature and viscosity of the liquid being dispensed, for example, could significantly affect the volume of liquid flowing through the dispensers over a pre-determined period of time. As a result, beverages prepared using these prior art dispensers can be inconsistent and potentially unsatisfying to patrons of the restaurant or bar.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved dispenser which overcomes most, if not all, of the preceding problems. Moreover, there is a need for a flow wheel type dispenser that is capable of dispensing accurate and consistent volumes of liquids from a bottle.